Palin's Rumored New Home in Arizona Revives 2012 Speculation

By Ujala Sehgal

Sarah Palin has deliberately left the question as to whether or not she will run in 2012 open. For those who believe a bid for the GOP nomination is still a possibility for her, The Arizona Republic provides some further evidence: after months of rumors, Palin may have purchased a house in Scotsdale, Arizona. A deal on a secluded, 8,000-square-foot home in far north Scottsdale was recently closed by Safari Investments LLC for $1.695 million cash. The terms of the deal hide the identity of the owner, and when the attorney listed on the property records, Alan Kierman, was asked if Palin was the buyer, his response was an intriguing "no comment."

According to the Republic, Palin has been rumored to be considering headquartering her 2012 White House campaign in Scottsdale, if there is a campaign. A anonymous source from her camp also told Ben Smith at Politico that she would base a potential presidential campaign in Scottsdale, near where Bristol Palin recently bought a house in Maricopa. Palin has also been mentioned as a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Jon Kyl.

But there are many reasons why Palin might leave Alaska that have nothing to do with a bid for 2012 or a run for a seat in the Senate. Joshua Green described in The Atlantic that Palin's popularity in her home state is rapidly dwindling. A rumored Democratic poll showed her to be less popular in Alaska right now than Barack Obama. Green writes that though Palin, "still lives in Alaska, she has all but withdrawn from its public life, appearing only seldom and then usually to film her reality-television show, Sarah Palin’s Alaska."

If Alaska "has moved on" from Palin, as Green suggests, she may very well be ready to move on from Alaska. As a public figure, no doubt it is difficult for her to fly back and forth from Alaska to appearances around the country, and Arizona would be a more convenient location. There seems to be little keeping here in state. Her son Track is still in Alaska, but he recently married his high school sweetheart, Peoplereports. Palin may also want to keep an eye on Bristol in Maricopa. Or maybe she's just sick of the cold weather.

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In any event, buzz surrounding Palin's supposed purchase were enough to prompt Public Policy Polling, a Democratic company based in North Carolina, to ask Arizona voters in an automated survey whether they would like Palin to move to their state. Fifty-seven percent said no, 27 percent said yes, and 16 percent were not sure. Just like in the political polls, Palin has her work cut out for her.